herkenrath



Nov. 29, 1927. 1,651,026

I F. HERKENRATH E AUTOMATIC FEEDER Filed July 28, 1925 2 Shee at lINVENTOR Frank rken rq7% wiia #611114 ATTORNEY F. HERKENRATH AUTOMAT I CFEEDER Nov. 29, 1927.

F'iled Jul;v 28, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORN EY Patented Nov. 29, 1927.

PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK HERKENRATH, OF SANTIAGO, CHILE.

- AUTOMATIC FEEDER.

Application filed July 28, 1925. Serial No. 46,542.

This invention relates to mechanism for automatically'feeding fuel intothe fireboxes of furnaces, the object of the invention being to providean improved apparatus of this character in which the automatic feedingof the fuel is accom lished by a series of alternating slow'bac ward andrapid forward movements of the grate, and the sudden stopping of theforward movement, and in which device provision is made for regulatingthe extent of such movement.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of thischaracter hav ing means for regulating the amount of/fuel supplied tothe firebox at each forward movement of the grate.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features ofconstruction and combination of parts which will be more fully describedhereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification,

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of an apparatus embodying thefeatures of the present invention, the section being taken approximatelyon the line II of Fig. 2.

ig. 2 is a front elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary rear view of the chute illustrating the gear andrackmechanism for raising and lowering the fuel door.

The same characters of reference designate the same parts in thedifferent-figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, the feeder consists of a supporting frameadapted to be disposed in front of the firedoor of a furnace, as iscustomary. The frame comprises a pair of uprights or standards 2 and 3,one at each side, said standards being bolted to suitable bases ,4provided therefor in the floor of the building. Mounted on thesestandards is a fuel chute 5, prefer'abl 'rectangular in cross sectionand funnel-s 2. ed in side elevation, the chute being secure tothestandards by means of angle irons 14 and bolts 15. The chuteisprovided at the side thereofadjacent to the firebox with a re ulatoror door 6, said door being vertica 1y movable between guides 7 securedonthe inner surfaces of the side walls of the chute. For the pufipose ofraising and lowering said door an thereby controlling the amountoffuelpassing through the opening 8, a shaft 13 is mounted in bearingscarried by the side walls ,of the chute, said shaft carrying a pair ofpinions 11 in mesh with a pair of vertical racks 10 carried by the door6. The shaft 13 also has fixedly mounted thereon, exteriorly of thechute, a inion 12 in mesh with a toothed segment carried at one end of alever 9 pivoted in one 'of the side walls of the chute. It ill thus beseen that by swinging the lever on its pivot the door 6 may be raised orlowered, thereby increasing or decreasing the size of the opening Sandpermitting more or less fuel to ass into the furnace.

The urnac'e is provided with a vibratory grate, designated enerally by16, which is supported independently'of the frameabove described, andwhich comprises a pair of longitudinal iron bars 17 secured at one endto a transverse end member 18,'the barsb eing connected together neartheir opposite ends by a plate 19, thus forming a ver rigid, andsubstantial frame. Mounted on t e side bars 17 and plate 19 in positionto close the lower end of the chute 5, is a table 40 carrying brackets20 adapted to support one end of a series of inclined grate bars 22, theopposite ends of said grate bars being seated in a1'e cess 21 formed inthe end member 18. A pair of side walls 23 are provided, one at eachside of the grate carrying frame, there by to direct the fuel toward theash it.

The grate carryin frame above escribed is mounted for osclll'atorymovement, and forthis purpose the side bars 17 are provided with aplurality of depending pivot brackets 28, a p urality of similarbrackets 29 being mounted onthe base and each disposed in verticalalinement with one of the brackets 28 when the grate is at the limit ofits inward movement, as shownin Fig. 1, the brackets 28 and 29 beinconnected together by pivoted links 30. Ihe grate-carrying frame is thusca able of horizontal oscillatory movement w ereby the table 40 iscaused to swing beneath the chute 5. A shaft 31 is mounted in boxes Bcarried at the forward ends of the side bars 17, said shaft havingmounted frame-pf the-apparatus, Said shaft havin secure'tlig thereon apair of cams 26 dispose in bearings carried by a fixed part of-thein"a.linement with the rollers 34 while 8. pulley 27 .is secured on oneend .0 shaft 25 for transmitting rotary motion to said shaft from anysuitable source of power (not shown). A pair of springs 35 are securedeach at one end thereof to a cross bar. 38 secured to the standards 2and 3, and at-the opposite end, by means of nuts37 to depending brackets36 carried by the plate 19;

For regulating the extent of movement of the grate-carrying frame, theshaft 31 has secured thereon a pair of eccentrics'32, one adjacent toeach end thereof, each of said eccentrics being mounted for rotation inone of loWs the bearing boxes B. A hand lever 33 is secured to the shaftat one end thereof, whereby the shaft and its eccentrics may be rotatedin the bearing boxesB thereby to impart to the shaft a planetary motionso as to carry the rollers 34 further away from or nearer to the cams26, whereby the latter will impart to the grate a shorter or longerreciprocatory movement. v

The operation'of the machine is as fol- Fuel is supplied to the chute 5from any convenient source'and in any suitable manner. The pulley 27,upon being connected to a shaft, rotates the .are placed under tension.As soon as the.

limit of the eccentric action is reached, which is when that portionofthe cams havingthe greatest radius is in contact with the rollers, bythe continued rotation of the.

shaft 25 the portion of the cams having the shortest radius is presentedto the rollers 34,

whereupon, by the action of the springs 35 the grate frame is given asudden and rapid movement in the opposite direction, thus carryingia newcharge of fuel into the furnace,

The end'member'18 of'the grate frame is 2. An automatic fuel feedingprovided with bumpers 39 disposed in position to contact with similarbumpers secured in the wall of the furnace, said bumpers thus sharplystoppingthe movement of the oscillatory grate frame. By reason of the raid advance of the grate frame and the sud en stopping thereof by thebumpers 39, the fuel.

is caused by the force-0f inertia to advance a step toward an open spacecommunicating with the ash pit, the Width of which space is regulated bythe-setting of the eccentrics on "the shaft 31 in the boxes B. Openings4:].

may be formed in the side walls of the standards 2 and 3 for theadmission of air to the combustion chamber.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: I

1. An automatic fuel feeding device, 'comprising a horizontallyreciprocatory grate frame, an inclined grate supported in said frame.side walls carried by-said frame and movable therewith, means forsupplying fuel to said grate, means for moving the Y grate frame in onedirection at a comparatively slow speed, means for varying the ex tentof said movement, means for impartlng to the grate frame arapid movementin the opposite direction, andmeans' for suddenly stopping saidlastmovement.

device, comprising a horizontally reciprocatory grate frame,a n inclinedgrate supported in said frame, side walls carried bysaid frame andmovable therewith, means for supplying fuel to said grate, means forregulating the fuel supply, means for moving the grate frame in onedirection at a comparatively slow speed, means for varying the extent ofsaid movement, means for imparting to the grate frame a rapid movementin the opposite direction, and means forfsuddeniy ,stop. ping said lastmovement. v

In testimony whereof I hereunto aifix my slgnature.

FRAIiIKiHERKENRATHi

